Since our implementation of ImageRight, our Network Operations team has embraced it as a way to organize our server and application documentation in a manner that makes it accessible to everyone in our team. Any support tickets, change control documents, white papers and configuration information that is stored in ImageRight is available to anyone in our group for reference.
This reduces version control issues and ensures that a common naming (or "filing") structure is used across the board, making information easier to find. (For reference, an ImageRight "file" is a collection of documents organized together like a physical file that hangs in a file cabinet.) Plus, the ability to export individual documents or whole ImageRight "files" to a CD with an included viewer application is a great feature that I'm using as part of our Disaster Recovery preparations.
I have a single file that encompasses the contents of our network "runbook". This file contains server lists and configuration details, IP and DNS information, network maps, application and service dependencies, storage share locations/sizes, support contact information, etc. It consists of text documents, spreadsheets, PDF files and other types of data. I keep a hard copy printed at my desk so I can jot notes when changes are needed, but ImageRight ensures I have an electronic backup that I can edit on a regular basis. Plus, I regularly export a updated copy to a CD that I add to the off-site Disaster Recovery box.
The value of ImageRight in a disaster scenario expands beyond just our configuration documents. In an office where we deal with large amounts of paper, encouraging people to see that those documents are added to ImageRight in a timely manner will ensure faster access to work products after an event prevents access to the office or destroys paper originals.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Configuring Server 2008 AD - Traditional vs. Virtual Lab Exam
There has been some recent chatter on the web about the 83-640 exam, which is the "virtual lab" version of the 70-640 exam, TS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring. Both of these exams are available by Prometric (at least in CA), but 83-640 is not currently listed as an official exam option for the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator or for the MCITP: Server Administrator if you refer to the MCITP certification list. However, the exam details for 83-640 note that it DOES count toward them. It's hard to say if or when this new version will officially replace the traditional exam.
I did have the chance to sit for the pilot of this test held in late 2008, when it was numbered as 70-113. While the test did have a multiple-choice section, the sections that were done in the virtual lab were actually fun. Yes, I thought the test was fun.
It really gives someone who works a lot with Windows a chance to showcase their skills without having to memorize the exact name of the tab or screen where a setting is located, as is often the case with the regular exam format. Instead, you worked on a fully functional server, making about 10 configuration changes in each test segment. I had access to everything I would have on a "real" server - I could click around to review all the tabs, settings and tools and even had access to the help files. Once all the tasks were completed, you close out that segment and move onto the next.
The experience was as close to a true work environment as you could possibly get for a test. We all know that on any given day, we may not know exactly where to go for what needs to be done, but we certainly know it when we see it. And browsing a few tabs or pressing F1 is part of the process to jog our memories and get us back on track.
If I was given the choice to take 70-640 or 83-640 to meet my certification requirements, I'd look to take the "virtual lab" version, hands down. I hope Microsoft looks to this new format for future exams.
I did have the chance to sit for the pilot of this test held in late 2008, when it was numbered as 70-113. While the test did have a multiple-choice section, the sections that were done in the virtual lab were actually fun. Yes, I thought the test was fun.
It really gives someone who works a lot with Windows a chance to showcase their skills without having to memorize the exact name of the tab or screen where a setting is located, as is often the case with the regular exam format. Instead, you worked on a fully functional server, making about 10 configuration changes in each test segment. I had access to everything I would have on a "real" server - I could click around to review all the tabs, settings and tools and even had access to the help files. Once all the tasks were completed, you close out that segment and move onto the next.
The experience was as close to a true work environment as you could possibly get for a test. We all know that on any given day, we may not know exactly where to go for what needs to be done, but we certainly know it when we see it. And browsing a few tabs or pressing F1 is part of the process to jog our memories and get us back on track.
If I was given the choice to take 70-640 or 83-640 to meet my certification requirements, I'd look to take the "virtual lab" version, hands down. I hope Microsoft looks to this new format for future exams.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Catalog Error with Backup Exec
The disaster recovery project has been moving along with fits and starts. I was certainly expecting this to be a learning experience and it hasn't failed to disappoint in that regard. Today, I kicked off a catalog of a new tape and promptly received this error:
The requested media is not listed in the media index and could not be mounted. To add the media's catalog information to the disk-based catalogs, run an inventory operation on the media and resubmit the Catalog operation.
I ran another successful inventory of the tape for good measure, but the error remained. I rebooted the server and the tape drive. No love. Frustrating since I've been successfully cataloging tapes for the last few weeks.
Following the links from the error report, I turn off the option to "Use storage media-based catalogs." By clearing the check box for this option, Backup Exec was forced to ignore any catalog information on the tape itself and build the catalog by reviewing each file on tape individually. This process takes longer, but in my case, was successful.
This is the recommended change to make when normal catalog methods fail. It's also something you'll need to do if you must catalog the contents of single tape from a backup job that spans multiple tapes, which can also fail if you don't have all the tapes from the set in inventory. For more information about the differences between storage media-based catalogs and on-disk catalogs for Backup Exec, check out this additional explanation of the "storage media-based catalog" option at Symantec's website.
The requested media is not listed in the media index and could not be mounted. To add the media's catalog information to the disk-based catalogs, run an inventory operation on the media and resubmit the Catalog operation.
I ran another successful inventory of the tape for good measure, but the error remained. I rebooted the server and the tape drive. No love. Frustrating since I've been successfully cataloging tapes for the last few weeks.
Following the links from the error report, I turn off the option to "Use storage media-based catalogs." By clearing the check box for this option, Backup Exec was forced to ignore any catalog information on the tape itself and build the catalog by reviewing each file on tape individually. This process takes longer, but in my case, was successful.
This is the recommended change to make when normal catalog methods fail. It's also something you'll need to do if you must catalog the contents of single tape from a backup job that spans multiple tapes, which can also fail if you don't have all the tapes from the set in inventory. For more information about the differences between storage media-based catalogs and on-disk catalogs for Backup Exec, check out this additional explanation of the "storage media-based catalog" option at Symantec's website.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Restoring IIS 6.0
I love the Internet. I use it every day. But when it comes to making websites work, it's just not one of my strong areas. I've gone through a good portion of last decade working for smaller companies where being the "network administrator" meant being a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. While I don't mind having to search for solutions to issues with software that I don't use often, I've also learn which bits of the tech realm I'd rather leave to someone else. One of those is IIS.
However, this isn't all about me hating on Internet Information Services. Last week, I actually had a experience restoring IIS 6.0 that was remarkably smooth and successful - restoring our company intranet to a different machine.
In order for this to be successful, I needed to have a portable backup of the metabase, my web folders and ASP 2.0 (which we needed for some small web-based applications). I was missing the ASP 2.0 on the base installation of IIS on the new server, but that was easy enough to correct. The web folders were getting backed up nightly, but I was missing the metabase, which was key to making this all go well.
Microsoft Technet had a rundown of how to backup and restore the metabase and this post from IT Solutions KB even includes screenshots of the process. All in all, the whole process took less than 10 steps, including making the initial backup. I was pleasantly surprised, since I expected IIS to be far more complex. I understand that IIS 7.0 is even easier, but I doubt it'll make me what to deal with IIS regularly!
However, this isn't all about me hating on Internet Information Services. Last week, I actually had a experience restoring IIS 6.0 that was remarkably smooth and successful - restoring our company intranet to a different machine.
In order for this to be successful, I needed to have a portable backup of the metabase, my web folders and ASP 2.0 (which we needed for some small web-based applications). I was missing the ASP 2.0 on the base installation of IIS on the new server, but that was easy enough to correct. The web folders were getting backed up nightly, but I was missing the metabase, which was key to making this all go well.
Microsoft Technet had a rundown of how to backup and restore the metabase and this post from IT Solutions KB even includes screenshots of the process. All in all, the whole process took less than 10 steps, including making the initial backup. I was pleasantly surprised, since I expected IIS to be far more complex. I understand that IIS 7.0 is even easier, but I doubt it'll make me what to deal with IIS regularly!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Windows 7 Beta Exam for Pro: Enterprise Desktop Admin
Through the middle of the month, IT Pros will be taking the beta exam version for the 70-686, Pro: Windows 7 Enterprise Desktop Admin. My exam slot was in the middle of last week and as far as testing goes, this one hit on every possible area you could run into Windows 7 in the enterprise.
Obviously, I can't rattle off exam questions and this test had more than the average share of them due the the beta nature. However, I can tell you that there was at least one question for EVERY bullet point in the skills list in the exam catalog.
Because this was geared to the enterprise, general experience with AD and group policy were important, as well as WAN/LAN networking concepts and security methods. And because this is a new OS with plenty of new features, don't plan to empty your pockets at the testing center until you know the differences between the various options for application compatibility, the range of deployment methods (including image and licensing management) and how the newer features in IE8 and Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 can affect the desktop experience.
This exam, combined with the 70-680 exam, make up the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7 certification. While this certification doesn't require as many tests as the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator it's certainly gearing up to be challenging in it's own right, as the desktop client is the portal through which the majority of workers experience your company network.
Obviously, I can't rattle off exam questions and this test had more than the average share of them due the the beta nature. However, I can tell you that there was at least one question for EVERY bullet point in the skills list in the exam catalog.
Because this was geared to the enterprise, general experience with AD and group policy were important, as well as WAN/LAN networking concepts and security methods. And because this is a new OS with plenty of new features, don't plan to empty your pockets at the testing center until you know the differences between the various options for application compatibility, the range of deployment methods (including image and licensing management) and how the newer features in IE8 and Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 can affect the desktop experience.
This exam, combined with the 70-680 exam, make up the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7 certification. While this certification doesn't require as many tests as the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator it's certainly gearing up to be challenging in it's own right, as the desktop client is the portal through which the majority of workers experience your company network.
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